Multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis

Abstract

A multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis includes an adapter to which at least two pieces are coupled, where the adapter has a coupler for coupling to a first piece and a different coupler for coupling to a second piece, where at least one piece, e.g., the first piece, may contain an electronic component such as a sensor that detects and measures movement of the prosthesis when the prosthesis is implanted in a patient, and can thus monitor the kinematic movement of the patient in real life situations, where the electronic component may also include a memory to store the data obtained by the sensor, and a communication interface to transmit the data to an external location where it may be analyzed, and a power source to provide power to the sensor, memory and communication interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis comprising a first piece coupled to an adapter, and a second piece coupled to the adapter, wherein:
 a) the first piece is configured to fit into a bone cavity, and comprises an electronic component and a first coupler, the electronic component comprising a sensor, the first coupler having a first coupling configuration for coupling to the adapter by a first coupling mechanism; 
 b) the second piece comprises a structural component to provide secure engagement with a tissue of a subject in which the second piece is implanted, and a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration for coupling to the adapter by a second coupling mechanism; and 
 c) the adapter is configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprises a second coupler having a second coupling configuration for coupling to the first coupler of joint prosthesis component through the first coupling mechanism, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration for coupling to the fourth coupler of the second piece through the second coupling mechanism, where the second and third couplers are structurally non-identical. 
 
     
     
       2. An adapted joint prosthesis component for coupling to a precursor joint prosthesis to provide a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, the adapted joint prosthesis component configured to fit into a bone cavity, and comprising:
 a) a joint prosthesis component configured to fit into a bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor and one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 b) an adapter configured to fit into bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 c) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration, where a second coupling mechanism can couple the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis. 
 
     
     
       3. A precursor joint prosthesis for coupling to an adapted joint prosthesis component to provide a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, the precursor joint prosthesis comprising:
 a) a portion of a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, where the portion comprises a surface area which is greater than 10% but less than 100% of an entire surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a fourth coupler configured to fit into a bone cavity, the fourth coupler having a fourth coupling configuration, where the fourth coupling configuration allows the precursor joint prosthesis to couple to a third coupler having a third coupling configuration of the adapted joint prosthesis component by way of a second coupling mechanism, 
 where the adapted joint prosthesis component comprises 
 b) a joint prosthesis component configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor and one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 c) an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 d) where a second coupling mechanism can couple the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis. 
 
     
     
       4. A multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis comprising an adapted joint prosthesis component coupled to a precursor joint prosthesis, where
 a) the adapted joint prosthesis component is configured to fit into a bone cavity, and comprises:
 i) a joint prosthesis component configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor and one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 ii) an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 
 b) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises:
 i) a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration, where a second coupling mechanism couples the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, and 
 ii) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a portion of a surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis which is at least 10% but less than 100% of the surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis. 
 
 
     
     
       5. A method of forming a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis comprising a first piece coupled to an adapter, and a second piece coupled to the adapter, comprising:
 a) providing a first piece configured to fit into a bone cavity, and that comprises an electronic component and a first coupler, the electronic component comprising a sensor, the first coupler having a first coupling configuration for coupling to the adapter by a first coupling mechanism; 
 b) providing a second piece comprises a structural component to provide secure engagement with a tissue of a subject in which the second piece is implanted, and a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration for coupling to the adapter by a second coupling mechanism; and 
 c) providing an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration for coupling to the first coupler of joint prosthesis component through the first coupling mechanism, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration for coupling to the fourth coupler of the second piece through the second coupling mechanism, where the second and third couplers are structurally non-identical; 
 the method comprising coupling the first piece to the adapter and coupling the second piece to the adapter. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of forming a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis from an adapted joint prosthesis component configured to fit into a bone cavity and a precursor joint prosthesis, comprising:
 a) providing a joint prosthesis component configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor and one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 b) providing an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 c) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration, where a second coupling mechanism can couple the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis; and 
 the method comprising coupling the adapted joint prosthesis component to the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis. 
 
     
     
       7. A method of forming a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis comprising providing a precursor joint prosthesis and providing an adapted joint prosthesis component, the precursor joint prosthesis comprising:
 a) a portion of a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, where the portion comprises a surface area which is greater than 10% but less than 100% of an entire surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a fourth coupler configured to fit into a bone cavity, the fourth coupler having a fourth coupling configuration, where the fourth coupling configuration allows the precursor joint prosthesis to couple to a third coupler having a third coupling configuration of the adapted joint prosthesis component by way of a second coupling mechanism, 
 where the adapted joint prosthesis component is configured to fit into the bone cavity comprises 
 b) a joint prosthesis component configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 c) an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 d) where a second coupling mechanism can couple the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis; 
 the method comprising coupling the precursor joint prosthesis to the adapted joint prosthesis component. 
 
     
     
       8. A method of forming a multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis comprising coupling an adapted joint prosthesis component to a precursor joint prosthesis, where:
 a) the adapted joint prosthesis component is configured to fit into a bone cavity, and comprises:
 i) a joint prosthesis component is configured to fit into the bone cavity, and comprising a body and a first coupler, where a sensor and optionally one or more of a memory, a power supply, and a communication interface are contained within the body, where the first coupler has a first coupling configuration; and 
 ii) an adapter configured to fit into the bone cavity, the adapter comprising a second coupler having a second coupling configuration, and a third coupler having a third coupling configuration, where a first coupling mechanism couples the first coupler of the joint prosthesis component to the second coupler of the adapter to provide the adapted joint prosthesis component; 
 
 b) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises:
 i) a fourth coupler configured to fit into the bone cavity, and having a fourth coupling configuration, where a second coupling mechanism couples the third coupler of the adapter to the fourth coupler of the precursor joint prosthesis to provide the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis, and 
 ii) where the precursor joint prosthesis comprises a portion of a surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis which is at least 10% but less than 100% of the surface area of the multi-piece implantable joint prosthesis.